About Burzahom Archaeological Site
Burzahom Archaeological Site is a Neolithic settlement located in Burzahama village, about 16 km northeast of Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir. Excavated between 1960 and 1971 by the Archaeological Survey of India, it reveals four phases of occupation from around 3000 BCE to 1000 BCE. Notable for pit dwellings, stone and bone tools, pottery and early evidence of domestication, it is the first Neolithic site discovered in Kashmir and is on UNESCO's tentative list.
Visitors guide
Visitors can expect an open-air protected archaeological area on Karewa plateau overlooking Dal Lake surroundings. The site consists of excavated rectangular and circular pit dwellings cut into the ground, marked trenches showing stratified cultural layers, and information boards explaining tools, pottery and burial finds. There are no reconstructed buildings; the landscape is largely open with exposed pits, earthen sections and pathways. A small site museum display and signage help interpret the Neolithic settlement.
Key highlights
- 01
Distinctive pit dwellings dug into the ground, unique to Burzahom in the Indian subcontinent
- 02
Four cultural phases from Neolithic to Megalithic period (approx. 3000 BCE to 1000 BCE)
- 03
Stone tools, bone implements, pottery and evidence of early agriculture and animal domestication
- 04
Human burial pits and skeletal remains indicating early settlement practices